Vegas Golden Knights (14-6-2) @ Colorado Avalanche (12-9-0)
8 p.m. MT | Ball Arena | Watch: Altitude, TNT, Altitude+, Max | Listen: Altitude Sports Radio (92.5 FM)
After a four-game road trip where they went 3-1-0, the Avalanche will kick off the holiday season with a home bout against the Vegas Golden Knights. The two teams met on opening night in Las Vegas when the Golden Knights won 8-4 and they’ll meet for the third time on April 8 in Denver.
Latest Result (VGK): VGK 5, PHI 4 (SO)
Latest Result (COL): COL 2, TBL 8
Defeat in Tampa
The Avalanche lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning 8-2 at Amalie Arena on Monday. Ivan Ivan scored twice, posting his first-career multi-goal game. After the Lightning took a 2-0 lead in the first period, Ivan scored from the doorstep off a rebound at 8:56 of the opening frame. Ivan scored again at 1:08 of the third period to cut Tampa Bay’s lead to four before the Lightning responded with two goals to win 8-2.
Frequenting the Leaderboards
Nathan MacKinnon is tied for first in the NHL in points (35) and first in assists (28).
Mikko Rantanen is tied for fourth in the NHL in goals (14), 10th in assists (18), and tied for fifth in points (32).
Cale Makar leads NHL defensemen in goals (8), assists (22), and points (30). He’s fifth among all NHL skaters in assists and tied for eighth among that group in points.
History
The Avalanche are 14-10-2 in 26 previous regular-season games against the Golden Knights.
Battling Back on Broad Street
The Golden Knights beat the Philadelphia Flyers 5-4 in a shootout on Monday at the Wells Fargo Center. The Flyers stormed out to a 3-0 lead after goals from Morgan Frost, Sean Couturier, and Emil Andrae. Vegas responded with two second-period goals from Jack Eichel at 7:42 and Ivan Barbashev at 11:32. After Vegas’ answer, Philadelphia extended its lead to two when Matvei Michkov scored at 13:18 of the middle frame. The Golden Knights then tied the game with goals from Pavel Dorofeyev at 18:10 of the second and Tanner Pearson at 11:55 of the third before winning in the shootout.
Numbers Against the Knights
MacKinnon has posted 25 points (7g/18a) in 26 regular-season games against Vegas in addition to seven points (3g/4a) in seven playoff games.
In 16 regular-season games against the Golden Knights, Makar has recorded 12 points (4g/8a) as well as seven points (1g/6a) in seven playoff games.
Rantanen has registered 18 points (9g/9a) in 23 regular-season games against the Golden Knights including a hat-trick in their first meeting this season. In seven playoff games against Vegas, he’s posted eight points (4g/4a).
Valiant Vegas Scorers
Eichel leads Vegas in points (34) and assists (26).
Dorofeyev leads the Golden Knights in goals (11).
Barbashev is second on the team in goals (10) and second in points (24).
A Numbers Game
4
Ivan is fourth among NHL rookies in goals (5).
10
Rantanen’s 10 goals in the month of November are tied for most in the NHL.
15
MacKinnon’s 15 assists in November lead the NHL.
22
Even if Makar hadn’t scored a goal this year, he’d still lead NHL defensemen in points with his 22 assists.
Quote That Left a Mark
“But we don't have time. [Tuesday is] a day off and we’re back at the rink to play Vegas. So we don’t have a whole bunch of time to dig in on this one.”
-- Avalanche Head Coach Jared Bednar on moving on from Monday’s game
